One Down

Kalajoki socks are done - that is 1 pair down, 13 to go.

Strawberry Surprise

Finished and blocked the Strawberry Shawl ("Vernal Equinox" by Wendy Johnson).  I think it came out wonderfully. The actual yarn has more black in it and is very deep & rich.

January Knitting

There has been so much knitting already this year.  I am still finishing up Amy's Equinox and am in the home stretch.  I think there will be enough yarn, but it has been a real knuckle biter.

I started a hat out of MadTosh and Shibuiknits Silk Cloud - still on the ribbing.   I am a little concerned it will be too small for my head, but ribbing is stretchy, right? The pattern is Green Tea Latte and is free!  It is my Loopy Challenge for January. Colors are Grasshopper & Lumen.

Next on the needles is a Kalajoki with Mountain Colors Bearfoot (colorway Yellowstone).  I have been longing to make socks again and it feels good to have one on the needles.  I really like the pattern as it is just tricky enough to keep things interesting, but not all over patterning.  

Sideways pictures YAY!

Just About Done

The silk & yak shawl is complete except for the finishing - wash, block & work in the ends. It will be a good detention turn in for the House Cup in January.

I love it beyond all reason.

A Little Crocheting

... and spinning was done at the end of last month.A few more squares for the steampunk blanket, some mohair spun on the drop spindle during Blizzcon and some red shetland that I picked up at the Torrance fiber fair.

Currently there is a shawl project with no pictures (I ran out of yarn and it is in the "time out" corner) and this small shawl (larger now) that is a real treat to knit. 

The yarn is handspun 3 ply silk & yak. I just started the 3rd (or 4th) repeat of the dark colors and it is stunning and soft as ... silk & yak.

Back on Track

It seems that all I use the blog for these days is as a portal to other updated blogs. Maybe I should become part of the action again.

October was full of WoW.

November has been full of WoW, including a trip to Blizzcon and dinging my 5th level 90 character.  It's been a great ride.  I also went to the Fiber Fair in Torrance and bought some very soft llama fiber.

I was knitting like crazy on a shawl but am running out of yarn and am in a dither.  Of course it is a commission and in a difficult color to match. 

Holly wants me to take her on more walks. 

Today I found a notification that I received a gift of a scarf pattern that I have wanted for several years (but was unwilling to pay $10 for).  I am a happy knitter! I think the previously mentioned llama will work well for it.  Now I have a spinning / knitting project for the next couple of months.

WoW weekend: part the second

I have played so much WoW this month. I am really getting my free subscription's worth.  My good friend started playing, so I had to start a character to help her along. We are 36 now.  I have been trying to add some experience to my little army of alts and keep their professions current. And of course there is Brewfest to enjoy!

I am also trying to get in some knitting; I made a crap ton of washcloths (at least 6) this month plus some blanket squares that seem to have disappeared and a pair of fingerless mitts for my aunt in Colorado.  The pattern was really fun & easy; I think there will be more in my future... if I can find the project bag. 

Holly the Wonder Spaniel and I started agility classes this month and that has been really interesting. I think I need way more training than she does.  In other pet news my elderly rabbit passed away. He must have been pushing 10.  The guinea pig looks a little lonely but I have no plans to add a friend.  The inn is full. Maybe I will move the rat cage near her so they can stare at each other through the bars.

That's about it for September.  On to October!

WoW: A Holiday Weekend

It was Labor Day weekend here in the states & I spent it doing pretty much nothing.  It was hot and muggy all weekend and it was all I could do to stumble from the freezer (for ice & creamsicles) to the a/c unit.

The time I was up I spent on the computer. Halah the druid reached 90 and Icihott the DK reached 80 (and then 81). I am quite pleased.

Malted

It's all done!

Malted Me

Still knittin'

New Month, New Knitalong

Well it is Camp Loopy time again and I started project 3 last night. The pattern is Malt by Tin Can Knits and the yarn is Cascade Ultra Pima Fine. I am short a skein, but have a whole month to come up with a solution. The knitting is very easy which is a huge relief after the intensity of July.

I really need a kick back project right now. Of course I am still trying to knit my Catkin, but I don't have the deadline pressure anymore. I hit a really fussy part of the pattern and can't do anything else while knitting it, no reading, no talking, no listening to the radio.

Today is just a lazy Saturday. I slept in until 8am (usually I get up around 5 - 5:30) and am getting warmed up for the day.

*update* Thanks to the gods of internet searches, I learned how to fix my editing problem!  Now this post should look a bit nicer. I will add a bonus photo just for fun.

Finish Line

Dew Drops - done
 

Color Affection - done

Catkin - 25%

Notes From the Field

Finished Color Affection Sunday. Still knitting DewDrops, it is due tomorrow before midnight and I am determined to finish. There is a good 8-10 hours of knitting until the end, though, so I have to get back to it.

I have knit & spun so much this month, I can hardly believe it. I will be very happy for August which is a break month for Harry Potter knitting club. All I "have" to knit is a sweater for Camp Loopy; it should be a breeze after knitting parts of 3 shawls, a washcloth, several blanket squares and spinning 5 skeins of wool this month.

Back to Regularly Scheduled Knitting

Now that the Tour is over for another year, it is time to make some serious progress on the knitting.  I have two shawls to finish in 10 days and I'm not very sanguine about the second one.  The first is on the last 2 inches (of 400 stitches per row), but it is just garter stitch and moves quickly. 

OK back to work.

Day 22: The Last Bloom

One more skein for the Tour! It was a great spinning day today; we had a surprise downpour here in Southern California & I took my spinning wheel onto the porch to enjoy it. Then I did the plying a few hours later to let the yarn rest and it went well. I really love the cheerful colors.

I also spent a few minutes trying to spin cotton on my Majacraft; it was a little tricky to get started but I was making solid yarn after a while.  It is not relaxing yet but will get easier.  I certainly have enough sliver to practice on.

In other news, knit a few rows on my Dewdrops shawl. 

Race Rewind: Day 10

The brown wensleydale / cotswold fiber I spun at the beginning of the tour.

Day 21: An Effort Was Made

Yesterday I did manage to sit down and spin one puff of fiber which took about 40 minutes. Not a shocking amount of progress, but still progress.  I have 4 puffs left to spin, need a day to ply, and there only 3 race days left. I had better get moving!

Day 19: Short & Sweet

I found a 2 oz puff of fiber to finish out the Tour spinning days (only 5 left!)

2/7 th of 2 oz spun while watching Treasure Island with Eddie Izzard. It is very good. Part two tomorrow. Now, bedtime.

Day 18: I ApPlied Myself

Two Navajo plied skeins of Rainbow Trout.

Le Tour

The Tour de Fleece started last week & I have been able to spin each day so far.  It is amazing that I can go from "no spinning, no time for it" to finding an hour a day and suddenly I am spinning for longer than that. The time just appears!

Day 1 6/29 - Ply the red / blue singles
Day 2 6/30 - Ply the red / blue singles (471 yd)(4 oz)
Day 3 7/1 - Spin brown Wensleydale / Cotswold cross 40 min
Day 4 7/2 - Spin brown W/C 80 min
Day 5 7/3 - Spin brown W/C 60 min
Day 6 7/4 - Spin brown W/C 60 min
Day 7 7/5 - Spin brown W/C 15 min (4 oz)
Day 7 7/5 - Spin Rainbow Trout merino / tencel 45 min
Day 8 7/6 - Spin Rainbow Trout merino / tencel 105 min